Daily Postcard: A black bear sleeps while draped over a tree branch earlier this year at Bandelier National Monument. At Bandelier, most black bears have already entered their dens after going through a period of hyperphagia. During this time bears eat as many calories as possible to put on an extra layer of fat for winter. This excess fat energy will sustain them through the cold season until food is more readily available in the spring. These bears aren’t true hibernators, instead they enter a state of torpor where their heart rate and breathing slow. While this isn’t a complete hibernation, it is a deep sleep that allows them to wake up if necessary. Photo by Sally King/NPS